Known Participant

Question

Inquiry regarding rejection of "similar image submissions"

Forum|Forum|10 months ago
May 23, 2025
5 replies
1292 views

Hi.
I have recently noticed a huge increase in rejections due to similar images.
Reading the posts here, it seems like it is not just me but also other people.

I heard that a high rejection rate can have negative effects.
Does this apply to my case?

I can't check in advance how many similar images there are on Adobe Stock and filter them.

Contributors

C

coffeeman_L

Inspiring

"Let's Not Pick The Flowers, Let's Grow Them Together"

Our big city municipality erected small signs with this slogan in the park on the road I use to go to work.

I liked the slogan, I decided to make a similar one for Adobe Stock and I did, but it was rejected again because of the similarity.

I searched Adobe Stock, but I couldn't find a picture of a wooden sign with such a slogan.

So this "similarity" issue shouldn't be like this: "From now on, no director should make a comedy film, because there are plenty of similar ones."

Participants should be given some details, some explanations, some clues.

daniellei4510

Community Expert

Well...I don't know if it would result in an acceptance, but I'd ditch the text and let the buyer insert their own copy. Even still, the text doesn't pick up the texture of the wood. And did you submit this as a jpg or png? It would give a buyer even more options if you did as the latter.

Adobe Community Expert | If you can't fix it, hide it; if you can't hide it, delete it.

C

coffeeman_L

Inspiring

still, the text doesn't pick up the texture of the wood.

Because of my amateurism.

And did you submit this as a jpg or png?

Actually, I wanted to send it as a PNG, but again, probably because I was an amateur, I couldn't cut the object properly, the edges were too shiny, so I added a white background and sent it as a JPG.

Z

ZALEZPHOTO

Inspiring

Similar images in my understanding refers mostly to similar images you're uploading. Adobe mentions in the guidelines that when clients see too many options of one situation, they don't buy. Also, one can assume a picture of an orange on white background could be rejected if it's too similar to existing shots, so if you want to shoot an orange find your own twist on the background that will make it unique.

Don't get discouraged!

Francisco ZALEZPHOTO

Jill_C

Community Expert

You said "Similar images in my understanding refers mostly to similar images you're uploading."

This is incorrect. A couple of months ago, Adobe changed their reviewing stratetgy and announced that they are rejecting based on similars in the entire database, not just similars in an individual's portfolio. Here's what the refusal reason states:

Jill C., Forum Volunteer

Z

ZALEZPHOTO

Inspiring

Thanks Jill. Not sure what I said is incorrect. Adobe mentions in the guidelines that when clients see too many options of one situation, they end up not buying. So when we submit, we want to send not only the best photos of the same theme, but also noticeble differences.

I am noticing too much disposition from people here on being right. The reality is that we dont know a lot regarding the human or AI process that is preselecting photos. There are inconsistencies on approvals, and at times I've had photos approved on the 4-5 try, bc as a pro there was absolutely nothing wrong with with them.

Let's all keep it humbled!

Francisco ZALEZPHOTO

Abambo

Community Expert

I can't check in advance how many similar images there are on Adobe Stock and filter them.

By @BH_Moon3191

No, you can't. And my guess is that the tool Adobe uses is badly calibrated. But if that can calm your nerves: we are all in the same boat, and we all get the rejections for similar pictures, where similar pictures may be anything you submit.

The only consequence that you do not have to fear is that you get blocked by high rejection rates. The announced consequence is lowering your submission cap. That's only an issue for those generating assets and submitting assets in masses.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

daniellei4510

Community Expert

We doubt it. Adobe is aware of the issue (unfortunately they consider it a feature, not a bug, even though it seems a bit random). Even with over 125 such rejections (about 8 or 9 of which were ultimately accepted and some minor edits and updating keywords), I'm still managing to maintain a 97% acceptance rate.

Now...that said...there ARE examples of contributors submitting dozens of images that are not only similar, but in fact often identical, so there are practical reasons why this change was put into place. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of collateral damage as a result.

Adobe Community Expert | If you can't fix it, hide it; if you can't hide it, delete it.

B

BH_Moon3191Author

Known Participant

97% approval rate, that's amazing!! I think 8 out of 10 of my posts get rejected these days.

If the reason is that it's similar to an image I've uploaded before, I can understand that it's my fault, but if it's because it's similar to an image which Adobe Stock already has, I can't look it up before submitting, so I think it should be excluded from the approval rate calculation...

I don't know. What should I do...

daniellei4510

Community Expert

I'd be closing in at 99% if they would stop rejecting my so-called "similars"). I've been having some success (key word: SOME...about 9 out of 11 so far) resubmitting rejected assets by adding the most unique keywords I can find (asking Siri, ChatGPT, or Amazon Echo to jog my memory), along with even more carefully worded titles. Of course, don't use unrelated keywords. I slip some of the original keywords to the bottom of the list and/or eliminate weak ones. I don't rely very heavily on Adobe's keyword suggestions, since they themselves are often too similar.

Here's my latest working theory: Images are still being moderated first by humans, but the moderators see a flag suggesting that the image might be too similar to other assets already submitted. I'll even go so far as to make minor edits on occasion. Based on their experience as moderators and what they see coming through every day, they have the prerogative to accept or reject the "similar" asset, provided it passes quality or technical issues. So some make it through the second time around. I DON'T submit the asset a third time, nor do I resubmit it immediately following rejection I'll let it stew for a couple of weeks or more.

Adobe Community Expert | If you can't fix it, hide it; if you can't hide it, delete it.

Jill_C

Community Expert

Yes, many people are experiencing increased rejections, and not all of them are justified. The recently announced weekly submission cap on each account will utilize your rejection rate, among other factors, to set your limit. Therefore, a high rejection rate is going to affect how many assets you can have under review at any one time,

Jill C., Forum Volunteer

B

BH_Moon3191Author

Known Participant

I see... Then, in the current situation, the more I upload, the lower the approval rate will be, so I'm not sure if it's right to just sit still. There's no clear guideline for what the approval rate should be, right?

Abambo

Community Expert

There's no clear guideline for what the approval rate should be, right?

By @BH_Moon3191

No, you will learn by doing.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

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